How to Remove Stains From Linoleum

Floors will get dirty eventually. Learn how to clean discolored vinyl flooring like stained linoleum and remove stains like water stains on linoleum floors.

Question

I had a plant sitting on my linoleum floor. Water percolated thru the dirt and onto the floor leaving a stain. Can I remove it using Clorox?

Answer

While not a floor specialist, here’s my opinion/approach:

This could be a tough one if the plant/water have been in contact with the flooring for an extended period. You may have penetrated the surface coating and the stain may reside under that layer. A couple of things to try:

Try a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution on a test spot to see if it can “bleach” out the stain. If successful, start at the outside and work to the inside of the stain. Rinse well after treatment.
If the peroxide is not strong enough, test a diluted liquid bleach (1 tbsp/gal) solution.

Place a drop on the stain; wait 1–2 minutes; blot the area and allow to air dry — no color change means you can try it on a larger area.

If these fail, you probably will need a rug or something to cover the spot.